Custom Boat Manual

Models › Catalina

Catalina 400

Built 1994–? by Catalina Yachts

Own one? Keep her maintenance, manuals and checklists here — free for a week Shopping? Find the right used boat Looking at one? Sea-trial scorecard

About the Catalina 400

Researched from public sources for this model. Any individual boat may have been modified or repowered — confirm before relying on any figure.

Catalina 400
Photo: Mustad Marine, Public domain via Flickr · licence (names blurred, upscaled)
Built
1994–?
Builder
Catalina Yachts
Designer
Gerry Douglas
Length
40.5 ft
Beam
13.5 ft
Displacement
19,700 lb
Ballast
7,200 lb
Hull / keel
fin keel
Rig
sloop
Propulsion
inboard
Fuel
44 gal
Water
87 gal
Holding
36 gal
Water heater
11 gal · AC + engine
Stern thruster
not fitted
Steering
pedestal cable · Edson
Tank capacities — where the figures come from
  • Fuel 44 gal
    “FUEL TANK CAPACITY 44 U.S. Gal.” — owner's manual (Mk I (spec rev. 6/6/96)), catalina4series.org · “44 Gal diesel” — broker listing (1995), sailingtexas.com
    The builder's Mk I owner's manual, hosted by the Catalina 4 Series owners' association, gives 44 US gal, and a 1995 listing agrees. The Mk II (2000s) figure hasn't been confirmed.
  • Water 87 gal
    “WATER TANK CAPACITY (1) Aft 32, (1) Forward 55, (1) Water Heater 11, Total U.S. Gal. 98” — owner's manual (Mk I (spec rev. 6/6/96)), catalina4series.org · “101 Gal fresh water” — broker listing (1995), sailingtexas.com
    The builder's Mk I manual lists two tanks, 32 gal aft and 55 gal forward, for 87 gal in total, or 98 gal counting the 11 gal water heater. A 1995 listing says 101 gal.
  • Holding 36 gal
    “HOLDING TANK CAPACITY (1) Forward 18 U.S. Gal. (1) Aft 18 U.S. Gal.” — owner's manual (Mk I (spec rev. 6/6/96)), catalina4series.org · “Two 18 Gal holding tanks” — broker listing (1995), sailingtexas.com
    The builder's Mk I manual lists two 18 gal holding tanks, 36 gal in total, and a 1995 listing agrees.
  • Water heater 11 gal · AC + engine
    “WATER TANK CAPACITY: (1) Aft 32, (1) Forward 55, (1) Water Heater 11, Total U.S. Gal. 98” — owner's manual (1996 (spec rev. 6/6/96)), catalina4series.org · “WATER HEATER W/ HEAT EXCHANGER, TO ENGINE / FROM ENGINE (pressure water system schematic 400-64000-0); 120 VAC panel: 15” — owner's manual (1994), catalina4series.org
    The Mk I builder specification counts an 11 gal water heater within the 98 gal water total (32 + 55 + 11), so don't add it twice. The plumbing drawing shows an engine heat-exchanger loop and the 120 V panel a 15 A water-heater breaker. No standard or option list was found; the Mk II brochure defers to a price sheet that wasn't found.

Tanks are often replaced or added on older boats — check the tank labels or a survey for yours.

Thrusters and steering — where this comes from
  • Bow thruster unknown
    The Mk I builder manual (specifications, electrical and steering sections) shows no thruster, and no option list was found.
  • Stern thruster not fitted
    Our earlier figure of none has no source, and nothing was found either way.
  • Steering pedestal cable · Edson
    “The emergency tiller moves the whole steering assembly, including cables quadrant.” — owner's manual (1994-1996), catalina4series.org · “Catalina 400 Steering System drawing 400-28010-1 (8-10-95): 32" wheel, Edson Fig. 410 steerer, Edson Fig. 630 #50 chain,” — owner's manual (1995), catalina4series.org
    The Mk I builder manual drawing shows twin 32-in wheels, each on an Edson steerer driving chain and wire through conduits to a single Edson quadrant. The radial-drive layout for later boats in our earlier figure has not been checked against a builder source.

Thrusters and steering are often replaced — check the units on your boat before ordering parts.

Sources disagree on waterline, draft — left blank rather than guessed.

Fin keel with bulb, or wing keel (5 ft 4 in, 20,500 lb, 8,000 lb ballast per the 2004 brochure; sailboatdata gives 5 ft). Fin ballast 7,200 lb confirmed by the brochure. Early boats had a 42 hp diesel; the Mark II brochure lists a 56 hp 4-cylinder diesel. Builder history: hull #100 built November 1996 in Largo, Florida. Production end year not confirmed.

Generator

Mk I owner's manual shows shore power and a Heart Interface EMS-2000 inverter/charger, no generator; the Mk II brochure does not mention one.

Manuals and brochures online

Hosted by the builder or an owners' association; they own the copyright.

Known problems for this model

Steering

Edson — Pedestal chain-and-wire steering parts: good

Edson (New Bedford, MA) still sells service parts: chain-and-wire kits, sprockets, idlers, pull-pull conduit steering and internal pedestal parts, and keeps steering data sheets by boat model, many decades old.

Parts sources: Edson Marine (service parts)

Common problems (3)
  • Old or slack steering wire steering
    Edson advises replacing steering wire about every five years, checking tension with the wheel locked, and inspecting under load annually; owners often find decades-old stiff wire.
    usna.edu · youtube.com
  • Lubrication and fastener checks steering
    Chain, wire, sheaves and pedestal bearings need regular oiling or greasing, and clevis/cotter pins and bolts should be checked monthly to avoid failures.
    usna.edu
  • Replacing engine control cables in the pedestal steering
    Swapping throttle/shift cables inside an Edson pedestal is a common owner job requiring removal of the wheel shaft sprocket pin.
    forums.sailboatowners.com

Edson — Traditional geared steerers (worm / rack-and-pinion) parts: good

Edson says its traditional wheels and geared steerers are still available, now built with modern materials; rack-and-pinion steerers are offered for transom-hung and inboard rudders.

Parts sources: Edson Marine (traditional steerers)

Model sources (8)

sailboatdata.com · mysailingfix.com · cruisersforum.com · forums.sailboatowners.com · catalinayachts.com · catalinayachts.com · catalina4series.org · sailingtexas.com

Own a Catalina 400? Add her to your boats, then share a photo — names, numbers and faces are blurred before it appears.

Other Catalina models

Researched from public sources. Spotted an error? The sources are listed above — tell us what they got wrong.